“Don’t go into this expecting a rap album” stated Tyler on his Instagram a few hours before his fifth record IGOR was released. IGOR feels like the perfect follow up to Tyler’s 2017 album Flower Boy. Although it feels like Tyler’s personality does not shine through as strongly on this album, the excellent features and absolutely outstanding production quality define IGOR as arguably his best work yet.
Kali Uchis offers a vocal accompaniment on the records first track ‘IGOR’S THEME’. This song introduces the album perfectly. It shows how Tyler has evolved and adapted his production technique from Flower Boy and has developed a grittier yet still soothing sound. Track number two ‘EARFQUAKE’ is hardly recognisable as a Tyler track. His singing voice is barely distinguishable as his. This again shows Tyler’s growth as he can take a back seat of sorts and watch over his track.
“I think I’ve fallen in love, this time I think it’s for real” is the incredibly catchy hook on ‘I THINK’. This song also features an incredible switch up in the beat before returning to the songs hook once again. On this track the main theme of the album makes itself known. Love. A key motive running through all of Tyler’s back catalogue, but on this album, he places it in the foreground. It can be argued that IGOR is an album focused around a breakup with the final, and really quite moving track ‘ARE WE STILL FRIENDS’ seemingly cementing this idea with lyrics like ‘I don’t want the season to end on a bad episode’ suggesting that Tyler wants to resolve whatever problem caused the breakup
‘RUNNING OUT OF TIME’, featuring Frank Ocean and ‘NEW MAGIC WAND’ featuring A$AP Rocky and Santigold come next on the record. Both tracks benefit heavily from their respective features, but Tyler still manages to remain centrepiece in each of these tracks.
‘WHAT’S GOOD’ seems like a homage to Tyler’s first album Goblin. ‘Turn my lights on. How the f**k you quiet with the mic on? Shouts Tyler at the beginning of the track. It’s something for his older fans who’ve been with him since day one. He perfectly combines his old style with his new and the end result is phenomenal and one of the best tracks on the album.
(4/5)